Newsletter

Founder R. Levik's Bio

I am Richard Steven Levik,
born 12/01/1959 (30 Cheshvan 5720) and raised in Flushing,
N.Y. At age 16 I joined the J.D.L. (Jewish Defense League)
when American Nazis were planning to march through Skokie,
IL. Skokie was a heavily Jewish suburb of Chicago with a
large number of Holocaust survivors. This was just too many
slaps in the face for me to sit still for. That year I was
also disgusted by Anita Bryant and other religious persons bashing of
homosexuals. That same year I had also begun to discover my
own sexual attraction to men. I did not particularly care for this new
development. What greatly disturbed me was how others made
this their problem. I hoped to one day discover what was
wrong with these fundamentalists and the many others who judged and
condemned homosexuals and homosexuality. I imagined one day
rubbing their noses in their faults, unless that is I found that they
were in fact correct about homosexuality. Though even if
correct, I did not at all appreciate the way they treated gay
people. On the other hand, I was discovering that I was not
too thrilled with how most gays behaved either.

After
Skokie I soon departed the J.D.L.. The J.D.L. leaders spoke
of having attacked and of planning future attacks on Jews for Jesus.
Jews for Jesus were handing out religious tracts, as I had witnessed at
Queens College. This was a fundamental freedom, or so I
thought. The Orthodox Jews in the J.D.L. did not agree
apparently. This convinced me that being Jewish was just not
worth fighting for, as the Orthodox are the main upholders of this
word, Jewish, for over two millenia now. If people
do not understand the fundamental right of allowing others to pass out
a piece of paper with words on it, then it is time to move on. Except
to where? It had to be Christianity, at least as a first
step. Even though I held contempt for Christianity,
regarding (homo)sexuality, as well as their well documented history of
anti-Jewishness. Yet with what I'd seen and heard in the
J.D.L. I needed to hear the Christian/Jews for Jesus side of
things. Besides, avoiding Christianity in my planned escape
from being Jewish was near impossible. Little did I know at
the time, ALL the New Testament authors were products of a Jewish
society.

Just
prior to my turning 21, I temporarily put aside being Jewish and read
the Bible. I read the Bible as a human being. I was ready to
become a Christian, though only if I agreed with Christian beliefs and
practices. Besides I wanted and felt the need to experience
Christianity from the inside. The Bible, to my amazement was
a very Jewish book. While reading the Bible in a two week span I became
a believer in the Law of Moses and then the Gospels of Jesus and
Revelation. I did not accept Paul and the other letters which
are a major part of the New Testament however. That such
“letters” could be included in the Bible further fueled my contempt for
religion. Nonetheless, my journey into religion: Christianity, Jews for
Jesus, Messianic Judaism and presently Reform Judaism had begun.

I
noticed something else significant when I read the Bible. I
recognized a close variation of my family name, Levik, throughout much
of the Law of Moses. The third or middle book is in fact
entitled Leviticus. I also realized how the house of Israel,
also known as the 10 Tribes of Israel, house of Joseph, or house of
Ephraim had allegedly disappeared over 2700 years ago, taking with them
other Levites who had been apportioned to each tribe. No one
in the Jewish world had found the House of Israel as yet. As far as I
could surmise, only some Sephardic Jews had even looked for them. This
seemed quite inexcusable and had to explain why Jews have been and
remain hated by so many. This further convinced me of my need to move
away from being a Jew and Israel would be my escape. Except
it would not be Israel the country, but Israel the people. It
is only recently that I can state that I am no longer a Jew.
Ironically this has made me comfortable enough to join a
synagogue. In 5769 I joined Beth Chayim Chaddashim, the
world's first GLBT synagogue.

The
idea of an organization entitled The Levite Line came to me many years
ago as I continued to wrestle with separating myself from the Jewish
community. Though my beliefs are Biblical and not rabbinic,
most come under the umbrella of Judaism. There are many
reasons for my needing and wanting to separate myself from being
Jewish. One reason was simply the ability to express my
objective opinions and criticism of Jewish life without getting my
skull crushed or getting killed. The Orthodox Jews in the
J.D.L. and otherwise convinced me that many of them are quite willing
to maim or murder those with whom they disagree, particularly other
Jews. In 5768 I began The Levite Line. There is a
logo based upon the Book of Numbers, Chapter 2. I also
designed a flag for Israel, representing the 12 tribes or sons of
Jacob/Israel. My belief in the House of Israel and who they are is now
much more clear.

Yet
the forerunners to Anita Bryant are still very much in power within and
throughout Christianity, though progress is being made. Judaism is also
making great strides in the area of GLBT rights, with Reform being the
most progressive. I remain highly disgusted and disrespectful of most
Western religions and have every intention of expressing my views. I've
experienced much name-calling and I take it from the brain-washed and
bastardized sources from whence it comes. I appreciate constructive
criticism. I do not appreciate name-calling, judgmentalism, and
labeling. And NO, I won't ignore them!Remember,
it is your mind, your mouth, your soul, your everything. Take control
or others will, if you allow them. In most cases they've taken control
since you were born or sometime thereafter. They will tell you how they
know what is best for you. Even if they are
correct, you need to wrestle control back or you can make
excuses. You should be guided and taught how best to run your
own life, to think and decide for yourself. Others should not
run your life.